August has been a busy month - both in and outside the clinic!  But, I’m back, with more information to share…

My journey into alternative health began when I enrolled myself in the Universidad Catolica Del Peru, in Lima at the age of 19.  My initial goal was to learn Spanish, which I did by taking medical anthropology classes to fully immerse myself.  What I learned impacted my life far more than bi-lingual language skills, but laid the foundation for the next 10 years of my life (…and counting).  The medical anthropology courses I completed opened me to the world of Andean and Amazonian Shamanism and how such traditional medicines continued to persist among the emerging modern medical care in the remote Peruvian jungle and mountainous landscapes.   It is quite one thing to build a health care facility in a place of need, and another to get the local people to actually come there.  

Spirituality plays a significant role in traditional Shamanistic practices, something not addressed or “treated” in a western clinical setting.  Ghosts or spirits are suddenly replaced as the cause for disease by  germs and viruses.  Treatment by ritual and community is replaced by small pills and injections.  This can be very confusing, and often leads to  mis-managed care or unproductive results.  It is very delicate work, and medical anthropologists continue to work in all parts of the world to bridge spiritual belief and scientific practice to promote patient care.   This is why I was particularly excited to see the recent article in the New York Times about medical anthropologists working to uphold some local traditions in rural clinics to reduce infant/maternal morbidity during childbirth.  Check it out at:  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/health/08glob.html

Chinese medicine comes from a long lineage of spiritual practices, and scientific practice through trial & error.  It was the perfect medium for me to help others on the mind, body, and spiritual level. I take into consideration the many influences at work when disease or discomfort arises, and try to work with that.  Modern societies often have the opposite needs in health care: to bridge the gap from the polarity of science by incorporating more spirituality and wellness.  This is simply another reason why Western Science paired with Traditional Medicines is truly an invaluable tool for helping people heal.  There is no super medicine, no super doctor (as my teacher once told me), just a journey we must work together on.  One foot in front of the other, together.